Princess Di's brother visits Southeast Texas

JANE MCBRIDE

Published
12:00 am CDT, Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Charles Spencer, Princess Diana's younger brother will present the Althorp Living History, a collection of furniture and upholstery pieces based on designs taken from 17th, 18th and 19th century pieces found in the home. On Saturday at Snooper's Paradise in Groves, Texas less

Charles Spencer, Princess Diana's younger brother will present the Althorp Living History, a collection of furniture and upholstery pieces based on designs taken from 17th, 18th and 19th century pieces found in ... more

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Charles Spencer, Princess Diana's younger brother will present the Althorp Living History, a collection of furniture and upholstery pieces based on designs taken from 17th, 18th and 19th century pieces found in the home. On Saturday at Snooper's Paradise in Groves, Texas less

Charles Spencer, Princess Diana's younger brother will present the Althorp Living History, a collection of furniture and upholstery pieces based on designs taken from 17th, 18th and 19th century pieces found in ... more

Princess Di's brother visits Southeast Texas

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Diana Spencer, who became Princess Diana when she married Prince Charles of England, raised her family's name recognition across the globe. Now, the ninth Earl of Spencer hopes to do the same for the family home with a cross-country tour and presentation that includes a stop in Southeast Texas on Saturday.

Charles Spencer, Princess Di's younger brother, inherited Althorp, the family estate in Northamptonshire, when his father died in March 1992.

"I view my role primarily as custodian rather than that of owner. I would be proud if, in my final days, I felt that I was handing Althorp on the my heir in a better state than in which I inherited it," Spencer said in a press release, adding that there is "a constant need for the house and its collection (of furnishings) to sup-port itself."

To that end, Spencer and the family's trustees joined with designer Theodore Alexander to produce Althorp Living History, a collection of furniture and upholstery pieces based on designs taken from 17th, 18th and 19th century pieces found in the home.

Snooper's Paradise, a 36,000 square feet showroom of antiques and fine furnishings in Groves, will host the Earl for the presentation.

Among the most interesting pieces is the Washington Chest. According to the family, the Washingtons were tenant farmers of the Spencer family in the early 17th century. George Washington's great-great-great grandfather emigrated to America in 1656; 100 years later, the Spencers acquired the historic piece, which remains at Althorp.